


Black Sheep Bonding

by cockabeetle, Kymopoleia



Category: DCU
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-26 13:47:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3853009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cockabeetle/pseuds/cockabeetle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kymopoleia/pseuds/Kymopoleia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason frowns at him. "Pretender might have liked me once upon a time, but he takes every opportunity now to piss me off. I ain't gonna take credit for that one. Dickie spends every interaction I have with him trying to keep me from doing what I need to do, so maybe I shoot at him sometimes. I admit to being spiteful. I don't feel comfortable bein' in the cave alone with any of them, but if you want me here all you gotta do is ask. Tell Alfred you want me around, the message'll get to me."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> my first official test of playing jason  
> is he okay??

Damian was alone in Gotham.  
Drake and Grayson were out of town, Kane, Cain, Bertinolli, Gordon, and Brown were out of country, and Father was off world. The only one he didn't know the whereabouts of was Todd, but really, what were the odds of Todd being in town, let alone in country? Damian sat in front of the batcomputer, still in sweats and one of Grayson's old shirts, and sips at an iced lemonade as he clicks through to current crises.

Jason steps out of the elevator, humming to himself. He'd stopped by the manor 'cause he knew B and the others were out of town, and surely they couldn't have left the kid here alone. He stops by one of the glass cases, looking over one of Riddler's old canes, when he notices someone at the batcomputer.

Damian hears something in the cave, but ignores it, as it's likely Pennyworth going around with a duster and a tray of cookies or something. Wait... Glancing back wouldn't be such a bad idea, if only he were positive that Pennyworth even made cookies when it were just him. It may have just been his opinion, but none of the members of the family seemed to like him very much.

Jason squints. That's... the kid. Why the hell is he here? "What're you doing here?" It's not that he doesn't like the kid, but he's pretty sure the kid hates him, it's not like he wants to piss the kid off or anything, but apparently his existence just does.

Damian kicks the desk to turn the totally awesome and bond-villain-like desk chair around, eyebrows raised and lemonade glass held with both hands. "That question, Todd, is one I would much rather you answer." He says carefully. What the hell. The one night he is sort of guaranteed alone time and a chance to regroup from the constant... Whatever it is called that he deals with constantly, Todd shows up to ruin it. Of course.

Jason frowns. He holds his hands up, showing that he's unarmed (at the moment). "I thought the place was deserted and wanted to take a trip down memory lane." Plus the computer was useful, not that he's gonna say that. He doesn't get access to it as often as he'd like, since Pretender hung onto it like dear life when he was in the city and Dickie tended to try and keep him away from the kid, and therefore the cave, as often as possible.

"The cave is mostly deserted. I was waiting for something to come up over the police channel." Damian jerks a thumb at the screen. "But I am still here."

"Didn't mean to bother you. Just wanted to check it out, aight?" Jason puts his hands down, keeping them visible as he moves a little closer. "And seriously? Nothing at all happening tonight?"

"Not that I can discern. Maybe the general public decided that the big stuff is for Grayson, Drake, Father..." Damian is slightly disappointed. Not entirely, but slightly.

"The city doesn't care who's in town." Jason says immediately. He frowns a little. "You been looking in the right places? Police radio, the like?"

"Yes. I have it being scanned by the prototype AI that Flash created and that Father has been going over. It is surprisingly receptive."

Jason nods a little. "Okay." Jason walks until he's close enough to see the screen. "It shouldn't be this quiet. Has anybody broken out recently? I just got back in town this morning."

"No, no one has broken out that I am aware of." Damian admits. "Though about a month or so ago Riddler broke out and purchased an apartment on the east side. Scarecrow was released for good behavior and is living with him currently, but we cannot imprison or raid them without reason, or else they would retaliate."

Jason hums. "Eddie's pretty good when B's out of town anyway. And Jon doesn't do stuff too often, he's been thinking about retiring." Jason supplies. He only knows this from talking to Harley and sometimes the rogues in question, but mostly Harley.

"He has? He's only, what, in his fifties? That isn't too much older than Father."

"I don't know his motivations, if he wants to quit shouldn't we encourage it?"

"I'm not saying I do not encourage the concept of one less Rogue, I'm just questioning his motivations. Are you suggesting that I not even question it?"

"Well, if you want to know you should ask him. He'd be able to give a better answer than I could" Jason explains, waving his hands a little in a conciliatory gesture.

"No thank you, Todd, I think I would elect against that." Damian says haughtily. "Anyways. You said you were here for a walk down memory lane. Does that walk arrive so quickly at the present?" He looks pointedly at the glass cases.

Jason sighs. "I wanted to reminisce a little and then check a couple of sources with the bat computer. Don't really wanna do it in your company, kid. Wouldn't you tell B?"

"Why do you assume that Father and I are even on speaking terms, let alone that I cannot keep a secret?"

"...'cause you're his Robin? And you're s'posed to tell him shit. Plus you have no reason to help me. You don't even like me."

"Where did you get that idea?" Damian asks, tensing. It's a lie, of course. For the longest time (and he had really only recently gotten over it) he had a case of hero worship for the man, and his attitude and seeming dislike of Damian had stung.

"What? That you don't like me? 'Cause every single time we talk up to this point you've tried to fight me. And you get so pissed off whenever I enter the room?"

"Being fair, Father is usually also in the room and it is easy to get riled up when speaking with him. Then I assume that sparring is a more acceptable way to let loose some steam than going out, seeing as I am virtually a prison in my own home, and Father goads us as we fight so that it ends up being more volatile than it initially would have been."

Jason stares for a minute. He plays what the kid said back through his head, and pauses. "Wait what? 'Prisoner in your own home'? What?"

"Yes. I am not allowed to leave the house alone. Were you unaware of this?" Damian narrowed his eyes.

"Yes? Why the fuck are they keeping you here?" Jason frowns, crossing his arms. "You're a good kid, you don't need to be cooped up here like some sort of criminal."

"Father keeps me here because, no matter what happens and what I do to attempt to gain his trust, he does not. Grayson is not much better, and I would assume you were aware of myself and Drake's... Relationship. He still hates me and blames me for claiming my birthright."

"Okay, B's an asshole and needs to get his head out of his ass. Dickie probably thinks you're allowed to go to school or something, he wouldn't allow it if he knew you were just kept here. And Pretender's got a stick up his ass so far he can taste it. I love the kid but he's an ass."

"Well, I am allowed to go to school, but Father made it clear that I was to come directly home, that I was to always attend my classes whether there was a problem or not, that Pennyworth would escort me to and from school, and that I was not supposed to linger. He is under the impression that I would not be interested in any of the clubs and sports, and as he also currently refuses to get me a phone, has cut off any personal connections I would like to make in that department. I'm not sure he truly realizes how much he has isolated me." Damian ignores the comments of asses and the placement of his father and Drake's heads up them.

Jason rubs his temple. "Okay. I'll talk to B. and maybe get Dickie to argue with him for me, too. And seriously, kid, don't put so much weight into what B says, he doesn't know what he's talking about. I can probably get you a phone."

Damian hesitates. He wants to argue, talk about the times when he has been late (due to traffic or needing to talk to a teacher) where his father yelled at him, but he doesn't want to complain unnecessarily to someone who does not care. Besides, he's complained enough as it is. More than enough. He shouldn't have said anything. Nevertheless, he finally nods.

Jason frowns. "Something else bothering you, kid?" Jason remembers living in this place. Sure, the memories are tinted a rosy hue 'cause they were happy and shit, but he knew it wasn't perfect. It was just as lonely and maybe not as stifling, but he sorta understands. He wants to help.

"No, it is fine, I should not have mentioned it." Damian shakes his head. "What did you need from the cave computer again?"

Jason sits on the edge of the desk. "Kid, it looks to me like you need someone to talk to more than I need to check on some low rank drug dealer. If you want a neutral person to talk to, me or Harley are open."

"Quinzel?" Damian blinks. "Why would she have any reason to sit still long enough to be bothered by my problems?"

"She was a psychiatrist, you know. And she's sorta made a point to make friends with us Robins, cause she wants out help as much as we want her advice. She and Timmy might not talk much, and you mighta never tried, but if you wanted to talk she'd sit down and talk with you."

Damian nodded. He respected Quinzel, though he did not admire her time or actions when around the Joker (it annoyed him to no end that he did not know the man's true name). "I understand her, but how do you qualify as a neutral party?"

"I ain't on B's side, I'm not gonna defend him or Dickie or the Pretender's actions. But unless you give me a reason to I ain't gonna step in, either. I don't wanna make your life any more difficult than it is, and I'm not exactly part of the family anymore, either."

"But how can you not be part of the family if you're father's favorite?" Damian asks, eyebrows furrowing.

"What? B's favorite? Nah."

"Yes, you are."

"Nah, that's Dickie. Golden boy, perfect Robin and all that."

"No. He and Father have the tensest relationship, if you exclude myself from that. You were always his favorite, and his disappointment and fear and anger at your death was more emotion than he ever showed towards the rest of us, from what I understand. Drake was perfect, but not exactly what Father wanted, and Grayson wasn't what Father needed. They worked well and synced, but you made things interesting and spiced up the whole situation. It wasn't just the printed and recopied 'boy wonder is kidnapped, dark knight fights to save him, criminal thrown in arkham/blackgate' that there was with Grayson. You didn't make a routine, you made a partner." After a few seconds, his face heats up. "I apologize, Pennyworth has talked at length about all that he has seen over the years."

Jason stares a little. He studies Damian's face a little. "Even if I am his favorite, and I really can't see it, I'm still not part of the family. I don't work with any of you, I don't live with you, we barely get along if at all."

"And how much of that is due to our own efforts?" Damian asks. "Drake... I assume that he worships you? Or something? You were Robin for a large part of his pubescent life and he seems to have fixated. Grayson seems to regret not having made an effort to know you before your untimely death. I, personally, would like for you to be around more often, if only to be another opinion during arguments." Damian doesn't add how uncomfortable he is when it's just himself and his father in the cave. Doesn't add that a third person would help, would change the whole dynamic and possibly prevent situations like what had happened with the Court, where tensions rose to the point of Damian attempting to leave the family entirely.

Jason frowns at him. "Pretender might have liked me once upon a time, but he takes every opportunity now to piss me off. I ain't gonna take credit for that one. Dickie spends every interaction I have with him trying to keep me from doing what I need to do, so maybe I shoot at him sometimes. I admit to being spiteful. I don't feel comfortable bein' in the cave alone with any of them, but if you want me here all you gotta do is ask. Tell Alfred you want me around, the message'll get to me."

"Please stay." Damian replies immediately, not wanting to involve a third party. It was hard enough to have a conversation about and talk through his problems, but to involve another person? Especially when asking for help? He didn't think he'd be able to.

Jason nods immediately. "Of course. Anythin' you need right now?"

"Company?" Damian offers, gesturing with the nearly-forgotten iced lemonade.

Jason nods. "I'm here. You want me to call anyone else?"

"No... Please don't. They're busy anyways."

Jason blinks. "Okay..." He's seriously tempted to just pick up the kid and go upstairs. What time is it, again?

Damian sips at the lemonade, glancing up at the computer. It's weird, because even though it's nearly two am, there hadn't been a single pressing crime.

Jason glances at him, then at the screen. "Wanna go upstairs and watch a movie? If anybody was gonna do anything they'd have done it by now."

Damian hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."

"You have a favorite movie?"

"The Great Escape." Damian said after exactly no time thinking. Of course it was his favorite movie.

Jason smiles. "I can make popcorn or something while you grab it?"

"I can do that. Which living room?"

"Uh. Whichever one you want to use? I never really watched movies here."

"Well, it's really based on what you're there for. There are closer kitchens for the green, blue, and white living rooms, there are more comfortable couches in the red and white living rooms, and the black and blue living rooms have larger televisions."

"Comfortable couches and close kitchens sound ideal."

"So the white living room?" Damian asks. He prefers it, though it's a bit on the far side from his bedroom. Then again, he also hated his bedroom and its closeness with his father's, and how cold and empty the hallway between their rooms is, with the ghosts of other Robins still living there.

Jason nods. "Aight. You like that one? Or would you prefer a different one?"

"No, it's fine." Damian assures him. "It fits your preferences. In fact, the white living room and the kitchen share a doorway. The television can be seen from the kitchen, as well as the couch and the two doorways out of the area, unless you count the sliding glass door in the kitchen that leads to the side courtyard. It's far from the cave and the bedrooms and the ballroom and the door, and it's generally out of the way."

"Aight..." Jason grunts. "You alright with popcorn? Want anythin' else?"

"Maybe some more lemonade? That's in the yellow kitchen though..." He hums.

"I can get it. The layout's the same as it was back when I lived here, right?"

"Nothing has changed architecturally, no."

"Cool. I'll grab that and then get the popcorn started. You grab the movie and set it up?"

Damian nodded, standing slowly and stretching, nearly dropping the lemonade but catching himself. "Sorry." He apologizes, turning and heading upstairs, rolling his shoulders as he goes. It shouldn't be too hard to find the movie, considering all of the manor's movies were kept on a cloud that Gordon and Drake maintained, but he did want to grab a blanket for while they watched the movie.

Jason waves his hand a little, smiling. "It's okay, dude." He walks up a bit behind, pulling out his phone to look up some... things.

Damian heads for his room first, then towards the white living room, and tries to ignore the pit in his stomach and the nagging voice in his head that's trying to write off how nice Jason was being.

Jason finds Alfred, and asks him how to make lemonade so Damian would like it. Once he gets the recipe he makes a new batch in the yellow kitchen.

Damian set the movie up, blanket wrapped around his waist, and tried to relax while he listened to Jason in the kitchen.

Jason finished with the lemonade and moved to the white kitchen, making a big bag of popcorn and grabbing a large bowl to hold it in.

Damian was almost calm by the time the microwave turned on, and it took him another couple minutes to get his breathing to a soft, normal, regular rate.

Jason walked out with two glasses of lemonade. "Do you want any sweeteners?"

"Hm? No thank you, I still haven't finished the first glass." He holds it up, and the two inches of liquid left slosh around inside.

Jason nods. "Aight. Tell me when you want you glass, 'kay?"

"I will, thank you." Damian nods. "Would you like me to start the movie?"

"Sure thing, kid. Go ahead." Jason yawns. "I might fall asleep before it's over though. I haven't been sleeping so well."

Damian held up a corner of the blanket and looked pointedly over Jason. "Lose the body armor and shoes and I will share it."

Jason laughs a little, and peels off the jacket, and pulls off his belt. His boots are pulled off and then he grins at Damian.

Damian watches him, then nods. "Alright." He offers Jason the blanket and presses the start button for the movie.

Jason sprawls out, pulling the blanket across his shoulders.

Damian leans against him after a few seconds, sighing and letting his shoulders relax.

Jason wraps an arm around Damian's shoulders in a quick hug, pulling away a bit to chew some popcorn.

Damian grabs a handful and pops them in his mouth, watching as the start of his favorite movie plays, despite how tired he is.

Jason hums, watching with a detached sort of interest. He's never seen it before.

Damian doesn't touch his drink or the popcorn again, and by the time the movie's a third of the way through, he's sliding down Jason's torso and drifting off.

Jason fell asleep a good ten minutes ago, and is snoring softly, head leaning back, His lemonade is on the coffee table, and the popcorn is perched precariously on the edge of the couch.

Damian ends up with his head in Jason's lap, face turned towards his crotch and arm curled around his waist.

Jason snores softly, arm sort of draped across Damian's back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Did you touch him?" Dick growls, fists balling up. He looks menacing, for once. Cass puts her hand on his shoulder reassuringly, but doesn't say anything. Dick continues. "If you did anything to him I swear..."
> 
> "Why the hell would you think *I* would do anything to a *kid*, Dick?" He snarls, gently pushing Damian off of him so he can stand and menace Dick properly. "The only thing I did last night was make lemonade he didn't even drink."

It was about eleven in the morning- maybe closer to twelve- when Tim, Dick, Steph, and Cass got to the manor, then hosted a two hour search of the manor for Damian. Then they asked Alfred, who told them to search the white living room.

Tim stomps into the white living room, frowning at the sight of Jason sprawled on the main couch. It's positioned so the back is facing the door they entered in, and they can see the scene select for The Great Escape playing on the television. "Where the hell is Damian? Tim growls, which is when Stephanie makes a loud squeaking noise. Stepping closer, Tim can see Damian with his head in Jason's lap.

Hearing a loud noise, Damian sits up quickly, eyes cracked open and eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Mm?" He asks, squinting around the room and- fuck why is there not coffee?

Tim makes a loud incoherent noise of rage, and Stephanie grabs him before he can really do anything. Jason jumps, groaning and snapping his knees up in a half-aborted attempt to get into a fetal position. "Mnnm"

Damian ends up getting kneed in the stomach and curls up, groaning tiredly.  
Dick, after a moment of stunned silence, coughs loudly. "Jason Peter Todd, what the hell are you doing and why was Damian in your lap? Did you do something to him?"

Jason blinks blearily, and rubs his face. "What?" His hand falls onto Damian's back, and it takes a minute to register who is siting with him and the words being yelled. And then his head snaps up and he's glaring at Dick. "*What.*"

"Did you touch him?" Dick growls, fists balling up. He looks menacing, for once. Cass puts her hand on his shoulder reassuringly, but doesn't say anything. Dick continues. "If you did anything to him I swear..."

"Why the hell would you think *I* would do anything to a *kid*, Dick?" He snarls, gently pushing Damian off of him so he can stand and menace Dick properly. "The only thing I did last night was make lemonade he didn't even drink."

"Then why were you here and why did you two sleep together! Why is he dazed and in pain?"

"I fell asleep watching his favorite movie with him! The city was quiet and I'd stopped by the cave 'cause none of you assholes would be here, and the kid needed somebody to talk to, and I managed to connect with him. As for why he's in pain, you'd have to ask him, I woke up to you assholes yelling in my ear!" Jason's moved around the couch and is about ready to grab Dick's shirt and shake him around a little. He's also really tempted to add a 'I was here when you weren't' to the end of that sentence, but he refrains for now.

"We were yelling because of how it looks, and we weren't here because some of us actually have obligations, Jason." Dick crosses his arms.   
Damian sits there, thinking about coffee longingly and starting to drift off again.

Jason snarls. "I thought he wouldn't be here, because you're not supposed to leave your partner alone, but it looks like that happened anyway. At least I was here to listen to him when he needed it, unlike *some* people." He glares hard at Dick, poking him in the chest for emphasis. "Weren't you the one preaching about how we should stick together as a family or some bullshit?"

"Yes, and Bruce was here last night. Don't use my words against me."

"Uh, no. B wasn't here. He's still in space. You're a hypocrite, and I'll say whatever the hell I want to say, Dickie."

"What do you mean Bruce wasn't here?" Dick asks.

"He wasn't here. That's the reason I showed up. He left on some space mission for the league or something, I don't pay attention to that shit."

Dick shook his arms. "It doesn't matter. You still shouldn't have been in that kind of position with him."

"I was asleep, Dick. I didn't know he was doing whatever it was he was doing. I fell asleep watching a movie and woke up to some *assholes* asking me if I'd touched a kid inappropriately. You fucking know me, Dick. I would never do that, and it's really fucked up that you'd think I'd use him, considering I'm the only one in this family who's bothered to even *ask* him how he's been feeling."

"Ask him how he's feeling? We would, Jason, if he didn't hate us."  
On the couch, Damian flinches.

Jason snarls. "Why the fuck wouldn't he hate you, Dick? You treat him like absolute shit. Maybe you should fix that, asshole."

"Treat him like shit?" Dick shoved Jason back. "I have tried everything! I'm at the end of my rope here, Jason! It's not like you're even around to know!"

"I know you, and you're only here when Bruce isn't around. And Bruce has been making his life hell. When both of you are around you spend the entire time living up to your name." Jason pokes Dick in the chest again. "And I might not be *here*, but I at least try to engage in civil conversation when I'm here, even *when* B is around."

Dick steps back, thinking over what Jason had said. He decides to talk to Bruce, see what Jason meant by 'make his life a living hell'. "Still, Jason." He recrosses his arms.

"Also. You shouldn't assume he doesn't like you without asking him first. I made that mistake and instead of proving me right when I brought it up, we watched a movie. He's a *kid*, Dick." Jason pokes him again, before standing up straight. "Don't be an asshole."

"I'm not an asshole." Dick counters. "I'm going off of what I know."

"And what you know is mostly assumptions based on biased observations and a lack of communication." Jason might be reaching a little, but he knows that's what he went off of, and he was wrong. Plus it'd be nice to band together with Dick about something, and the kid's welfare would be a nice change from the usual.

Dick huffs. "When did you start sounding less like a punk?"

"When I started using my brain. You should try it for a change." Jason grins a little.

"I have been. Most of that brain power has been going to my day job." Dick shakes his head.

Jason rolls his eyes. "Save some of that for your extracurriculars. On the subject of extracurriculars, maybe you can convince B Dami needs some time to himself outside the manor. Poor kid deserves some time to spread his wings, ya know?"

"I do- I thought he didn't want to do anything." Dick shrugged.

"He hasn't even been given the chance to look at what options there are? He mentioned it, last night."

Dick blinked. "What?"

"He said B, and he implied the rest of you felt this way too, but he said B didn't give him a chance to even look at extra stuff like clubs or shit, just assumes he doesn't want it or something."

"We... we did assume he didn't." Dick casts a guilty look at the couch. "It never occurred to me that he might want to be social."

"He's never been given the chance. Maybe you should ask him instead of assuming, it just makes an ass outta you, don't it?"

"Yeah." Dick agrees, even though Jason's near constant belittling of him is annoying.

Jason harrumphs. "'Least you're listening now. Maybe you should ask him why he was in pain earlier, huh?" He crosses his arms, eyebrow raised. "I'm gonna go see if my lemonade survived the night. Hey kid, you want anything?" He tosses over his shoulder, waiting until after he's given an answer to actually move to do something.

"Coffee." Damian replies. He isn't awake until the second cup, ever.

Jason nods. He steps into the white kitchen, setting up the coffee maker and getting a mug. "You want any sugars or anythin'?" He doesn't know the kid's preferences yet.

"Sugar. Tablespoon." Damian yawns.

"Sure thing." Once the coffee's ready he pours it out and prepares the cup. He hands it to Damian, and walks back into the kitchen to make himself a glass of lemonade.

Damian sips the coffee first to make sure it isn't too hot, then gulps it down.

Jason walks out, sipping his lemonade. "You want anything, Dickie?" He raises his eyebrows. He'll make Damian more coffee in a second.

"I'm good, thank you." Dick nods.  
Damian finishes his coffee and holds the empty cup out, because he was semi-aware at the moment, but sentences were beyond him. He needed at least one more cup of coffee before that happened.

Jason grabs it, and refills the cup, adding another teaspoon of sugar to it. "Here ya go, kid."

Damian sips it, then scrunches up his nose and holds it out again. "_Table_spoon."

Jason grabs a table spoon and drops it into the coffee.

Damian takes the coffee back and sips it, finally nodding before he gulps it down as well.

Jason grins. His phone buzzes, which he knows to mean a purchase he'd made last night had went well.

Damian sighs, and nods. "Okay. I am awake now."  
Dick snorts. Cass and Tim and Steph had left early on in the argument, so it's just him and Jason and Damian in the room.

Jason smiles a little. "That's good. How you feelin'?"

"Tired. My stomach hurts." Damian yawns again.

"What happened?" Jason frowns a little, stepping closer.

"You kneed me in the stomach when you woke up."

"Fuck, really? I am so sorry. Didn't mean to do that at all." Jason leans over the couch to get a better look at him. "Are you okay? Do you need anybody to look you over?"

"No, it is fine." Damian bats his hand away. "I will be fine."

Jason rolls his eyes a little. "Are you sure? You need me to stick around or anything?" He glances at Dick, hoping he's taking note of the questions being asked.

"Yes." Damian hasn't entirely absorbed the information that Grayson or Drake or anyone is home. He doesn't really care. Coffee wakes him up, and not much else.

Jason nods. "Aight. Do you want Dickie to say with us too?"

Damian glances at him. "It is not my decision. Does he wish to stay?"

Jason looks up at Dick. "Well he might, but if you'd rather he not be 'cause he's sort of an asshole, then you should be allowed to decide. You can choose who sticks around if you want to."

"It is not my decision." Damian replies, shrugging.  
Dick crosses his arms. "I do have some things I need to do."

Jason raises his hands to show he's unarmed. This time he really is, if you don't count the knife tucked into the sleeve of his shirt. "Aight, aight. Do whatever. Hey kid, do you wanna watch another movie? Do you need to do anything else?"

Damian taps his fingers on his leg. "How good are you with grammar and the English language?"

Jason grins. "I am a master, if I do say so myself. Haven't been speaking it my whole life, but I know most of the grammar rules. 'Less they made new ones while I was outta commission."

"I failed my last test in English." Damian says, glancing at Dick almost nervously. He hadn't exactly been planning on telling anyone in the family, but it was easier to talk to Jason.

Jason nods once. "Okay, what do you need help with? If I don't know the answer I'm sure google can help us."

"There were a lot of things on the test. If we go upstairs, I have it in my binder."

"Alright. Lead the way, Damian." He wants to give the kid a nickname, but he isn't sure if it's allowed. Or even what to use.

Damian stands and is suddenly aware that he is wearing one of Grayson's old shirts. He doesn't know how to apologize, though, so he simply grabs his blanket and starts walking.

Jason watches the kid freeze for a second, and opens his mouth to ask but the kid's already headed out, pulling the blanket with him. Jason follows, chewing his lip a little. Maybe he'll ask after they finish the homework. Does it count as homework?

~o~

Bruce is sitting at the Batcomputer, cup of hot tea at his elbow. He's checking over a couple of recently finished cases, reading the files and checking to make sure there are no loose ends.

Dick comes down into the cave after a nice lunch with Steph and Alfred, but still stewing. The words that Jason had said left a mark, made him question if he had seen all that he thought he had over the past couple years. So he comes to the batcomputer, leans against the edge of it, and sighs as he looks Bruce over. "Whatcha working on?"

Bruce glances at Dick out of the corner of his eye, angling his chair to face his eldest a little more. "Nothing too important. What is it?" He raises an eyebrow. Dick doesn't come to him unless Dick wants something.

"Wanted to talk about something bothering me. Is Dami grounded?"

"Grounded? I wouldn't use the term, but I suppose one could look at it that way. Why?"

"Is he on restriction?"

"Depending on the definition, you could say he is. Why?" Bruce turns to look at Dick head on. "What does it matter?"

"Some stuff was said to me. Are you isolating him from the outside world?"

Bruce frowns. "He goes to school."

"Yeah, but do you let him do clubs? Sports? Hang with friends?"

"He has shown no interest in them." Bruce answers. He frowns.

"Bruce- did you tell him he could?"

Bruce frowns. "He's aware of the possibility. He's had plenty of chances to do what he wants."

Dick groans. "Fuck, B. The kid isn't like the rest of us. He acts like your word is law, and if you don't tell him then he won't think he can."

Bruce snorts. "He's fine, Dick. I'm going back to my report." He turns the chair back toward the desk, grabbing his tea to take a sip as he goes back to reading.

Dick swings his foot out to kick the bottom of Bruce's chair, pushing him a few feet from the computer. "No, Bruce, don't just write this off. He's your kid, B, your damn kid. Do you get that? You can't fuck him up too."

Bruce huffs. "I raised you, Jason and Tim just fine, Dick. Damian will be fine." He doesn't bother trying to drag the chair back to its spot at the computer, instead standing up to lean over the console.

Dick steps between Bruce and the keys, pushing his arms out of the way. "Stop, and listen to me. Tim isn't fine, Jason sure as hell isn't fine, and I'm not fine. Tell Damian if he's in trouble, or let him know that he's okay if he isn't. Don't keep him hanging like this."

Bruce frowns. "All of you are fine. You have all your limbs and are functioning members of society. And he doesn't need to be told whether he is in trouble or not, he'll know when he is."

Dick stares at Bruce in confusion and disgust. "Bullshit."

Bruce rolls his eyes, standing up straighter. "Get out of my way, Dick. I have work. And how I raise my son is of no concern to you. Don't you have a job in Bludhaven to return to?"

"Don't you have a job upstairs to do? It's called parenting, Bruce. But fine, if you want to ignore him and let him die like you let Jason die, I won't stop you." Dick knows he crossed a line and shouldn't have said it, but he steps out of the way and gestures at the computer anyways.

Bruce freezes, and he snarls. But he doesn't rise to the bait, either, and simply steps forward to get back into his work. He will not let another partner die. It won't happen, no matter what Dick thought.

Dick shakes his head as he walks away, feeling more angry and more aware.

Bruce presses himself into his work, ignoring everything else in favor of finishing the reports.


End file.
